Big Martha Clara concert to benefit all East End nonprofits

BETH YOUNG PHOTO | Claudia Pilato of Bridgehampton National Bank, All For The East End Executive Director Kerry Connaughton and President Myron Levine at the announcement of the new non-profit at Martha Clara Vineyards Thursday.

Next August, a consortium of East End non-profits will band together to launch All For The East End, an annual concert to be held at Martha Clara Vineyards in Riverhead to benefit non-profits on the East End.

The event, to be held Aug. 19, 2013, will include an all-day music festival culminating with a major production in the evening.

The event is modeled after the successful “All for the Sea” concert series at the former Southampton College of Long Island University, and many of its organizers were affiliated with the college before it closed several years ago.

Myron Levine, who will serve as president of the organization’s board of directors, also served on the board of overseers of Southampton College and now serves on the board of Peconic Public Broadcasting, which was formerly the college’s radio station, WLIU, in Southampton.

The executive director of the new organization is Kelly Connaughton, who founded the Sag Harbor American Music Festival last year.

“There are over a thousand registered non-profits on the East End. Part of our mission is raising awareness of them,” said Ms. Connaughton at a press conference unveiling the new group at Martha Clara Vineyards Thursday afternoon.

She said the money raised by the concert will be made available to non-profits through grants issued by the Long Island Community Foundation, a Syosset-based group that advises and provides grants to non-profits.

The group hopes to net between $500,000 and $600,000 to give to non-profits after the first concert, and has already signed on Bridgehampton National Bank, which will be the lead sponsor with $50,000 donated to the event, as well as several other sponsors who have already given a total of nearly $100,000, said Mr. Levine at the press conference.

“The East End of Long Island is not all glitz and glamor as people may believe it to be,” he said. “It’s really composed of a community that’s incredibly down-to-earth and supportive.”

The group has brought in Nile Rogers Productions to produce the event and Jim Durning, who recently managed digital media for Roger Waters’ “Wall” tour, to do the marketing.

Mr. Durning said they’re planning an event for younger children in the morning, a concert for teenagers in the afternoon, and a concert for adults in the evening. He said tickets will be competitively priced.

“They’re not going to be $150 tickets,” he said.

The headliners will be announced next spring.

East End Arts executive director Pat Snyder put the group in touch with Martha Clara Vineyards, who agreed to hold the event on the 100 acres of their 200-acre Sound Avenue property that is not covered in vines.

“We want to bring the two forks together. This is going to be a great event for doing so,” said Martha Clara winemaker Juan Martinez. “We’re excited. It’s been a long time in the making.”

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